Sam May’s Paperbark Smoked Duck

A recipe by Sam May. Read our interview with him here.

Ingredients –

5 duck breasts

For the brine

4 cups apple juice

4 cups water

1/2 cup salt

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup orange juice

Method –

Mix brine ingredients together in a bowl, add duck breasts and brine for 12 to 24 hours, but no longer than this.

Take breasts out of brine and render fat in a pan on low flame. Place skin side down and fry until the skin is brown and crispy, then seal rest of the breast and rest.

Place two sheets of paper bark in the bottom of a cast iron pot or camp oven with a wire rack on top. Place duck breasts on the rack, close lid and smoke on the stove on low heat for 20 minutes, or until duck breasts are medium rare.

Serve with sweet potato mash or anything else you desire.